Herbal Antibiotics

Scientifically-Supported Herbal Germ Fighters

Even before they knew what germs were, cultures from around the world discovered powerful herbal remedies to fight infections. And some of those natural antibiotics are holding up quite nicely to medical science.

Herbs that Fight H. pylori

The discovery of the link between H. pylori and peptic ulcers dramatically changed the way doctors treated ulcers. No longer did doctors prescribe medications that simply treated the symptoms of ulcers; now they could attack the helicobacter germ itself and permanently cure many ulcer patients. But what about "natural" antibiotics? As it turns out, a number of plants (and extracts made from them) are showing tremendous potential in the fight against this all-too-common medical condition.

Common garden scallions, onions and garlic may be at least part of the answer. A number of studies have looked at members of the Allium family and produced glowing reviews. And the best news is that even some antibiotic-resistant strains of H. pylori yield to the powerful anti-microbial actions of garlic.

Herbs & Food Poisoning

Though we don't know for sure how many people it sickens, it's thought that the germ Bacillus cereus causes hundreds of food poisoning cases every year in this country. But in 2003, a study of 11 different essential oils made a remarkable discovery. While many essential oils have failed to live up to their anti-bacterial hype, cinnamon stands out as one that does. While it probably won't replace other preservatives in the foreseeable future, cinnamon performed so well in this study that the study's authors actually called cinnamon "an alternative to traditional preservatives".

Another "herb" with potential to fight food-borne pathogens is plain old green tea, or, more correctly, green tea extract. A 2006 study found green tea extract effective against Staphylococcus aureus--even antibiotic-resistant strains.

Herbs that Fight Sinusitis